Bookkeeper Resume Sample

Want to take your bookkeeper resume to the next level? Read our expert tips below to make sure your resume stands out from the pack.

1. Use persuasive language to sell your achievements

You only have so much space on your resume, so you need to be pragmatic when choosing what to include. After all, when experts say that one page is an ideal length for most people’s resumes, every word counts.

This means you need to carefully select not only what achievements to include, but also how they can be best expressed. Each achievement you include should reaffirm your suitability to the hiring manager.

The easiest way to do this is by using the right language. Simple statements about your job functions will turn into eye-catching achievements if you’re smart about it. Take note of the examples below to learn just how to do this:

• Use specific examples of your achievements

Quantifiable examples of your contributions to your company are a surefire way to draw attention to your achievements. When possible, incorporate percentages and numbers to exemplify your achievements.

Not only will they break up blocks of text, they will help the hiring manager better understand your skills, and how they could be an asset to their company.

For example:

– Helped the company reduce its accounting budget significantly

+ Reduced the annual accounting budget by 18% by streamlining key accounting procedures and operations

• Write with confidence

While modesty does have its merits in certain work contexts, a resume is not one of them. Along with your cover letter, your resume is a deciding factor for whether you’ll make it to the next stage of the hiring process. Your achievements big and small should be trumpeted in your resume.

Even if you’re someone who doesn’t feel comfortable talking up your professional achievements, you need to do so on your resume.

Remember, you’ll be competing with dozens of other candidates who have no qualms with confidently listing out achievement after achievement, so ensure you put yourself in the running as well.

Writing with confidence isn’t about overstating your achievements. It’s about not being afraid to write about your achievements in a convincing manner.

For example:

– Came up with the successful idea to transfer customer accounts from Excel to QuickBooks

+ Recommended and headed the transfer of customer accounts from Excel to QuickBooks, resulting in increased accountability and efficiency of customer account management

In short, be bold, and don’t undersell yourself.

2. Put a spotlight on your professional learning

Have you undertaken any professional learning relevant to your job? Demonstrating your continued efforts to develop professionally is one of the most effective ways to put you ahead of the competition.

The easiest way to format this in your resume is to include a “Licenses & Certifications” section at the end of your resume. As you can see from our example bookkeeper resume above, this section gives a boost to applicant’s credibility and enthusiasm as a bookkeeper.

You’d be surprised how many things you can (and should!) include in this section. Here are some ideas of what you can include:

• Professional development certifications or courses
• Accounting or bookkeeping licenses you hold
• In-house training you have undergone
• Bookkeeping software certifications or courses

3. Make your resume a “living document”

You may have come across the advice that you should treat your resume as a “living document.” At Resume Companion, we think this is one of the most underrated resume tips out there. So, what does this advice even mean, and how can abiding by it help you perfect your resume?

• Updating your resume regularly

Treating your resume as a living document means updating it as you accumulate relevant skills, undertake new professional experiences, and rack up achievements to your name.

Yes ­– that means chopping and changing your resume progressively, rather than doing it all in one go.

We all know the pain of trying to remember all the little details of our jobs from many years ago (…was it five or fifteen percent you helped save your company?). Keeping an ongoing record of your achievements saves yourself the stress of recalling accurate details of past jobs.

• Shape your resume to the job you want

Treating your resume as a living document also means making your resume suitable for the specific job you’re applying for.

Hiring managers are skilled at spotting generic resumes which candidates have sent to each and every job. A hiring manager wants to see evidence in your resume that you’re specifically applying for the job their company advertised.

Here are a couple of pointers:

• Position your achievements/experiences from most relevant, to least relevant
• Use keywords from the job ad throughout your resume
• Rewrite each career objective to suit each position you apply for
• If you’re short on space, remove experiences that you’re unlikely to have in this new position.

Keeping these tips and our guide above in mind as you write your bookkeeping resume will help ensure your resume shines amongst the crowd.

If you still need help, let our free resume builder do the work for you!